Weight loss success begins at the grocery store. First, determine how many calories you plan to eat each day. Then, create a one-week menu plan and grocery list to go along with the plan. If you are too busy to cook and are already throwing your hands up in the air, consider frozen, healthy, lower calorie entrees. Also, rotisserie chicken (without the skin) and easy-to-bake pre-portioned fish fillets are low in calories and easy to prepare. Vegetables make a good side dish to help you feel full. When serving veggies, check the calories in toppers such as cheese and salad dressings; try to select lower calorie varieties. Without a careful eye, you may end up with more calories from items like salad dressing than in your entire meal! If your meal includes a serving of starchy food, skip the bread and butter for fewer calories.
For a low calorie dessert, there are many options available at the grocery store. Sugar-free puddings and Jell-O’s, low-fat ice cream, 100-calorie snack cookie packages, and other portion-controlled delights are plentiful to choose from. Individually packaged items can sometimes help control the desire to go back for more and avoid “just one more handful”.
Planning ahead, shopping by a list, and enjoying the food on your weight loss plan can make a successful weight loss plan!